What Is the Average Marketing Manager Salary in the US?

Key takeaways

Marketing managers' salaries vary across industries, but they tend to increase with more experience or a higher degree.

• The average annual salary for a marketing manager is $159,660, or $76.76 per hour [1].

• Marketing managers with a master’s degree earn a higher salary than those with an associate or bachelor’s degree.

• You can increase your salary as a marketing manager by exploring more advanced or specialized roles, such as brand marketing or digital marketing.

Explore the role of a marketing manager and the earning potential based on factors including location, education level, past experience, and the industry you work in. Afterward, consider enrolling in the Google Digital Marketing and E-commerce Professional Certificate. In as little as six months, you’ll have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of digital marketing and e-commerce to gain the skills needed to land an entry-level job. Upon completion, you can add this shareable credential to your resume or LinkedIn profile.

What is a marketing manager?

As a marketing manager, you will oversee marketing activities such as conducting market research, designing ad campaigns, and coordinating with other marketing department members. Depending on your team, you could fill a more generalized role and specialize in marketing activities such as:

• Social media marketing

• Content marketing

• Digital marketing

• Brand marketing

You'll help identify the markets your organization should target, using analytical skills to monitor campaigns and assess emerging trends.

Read more: What Is a Go-To-Market Strategy? And How to Create One

What is the salary of a marketing manager? Average marketing manager salary

According to various sources, the average marketing manager’s salary in the United States ranges from $82,877 to $159,660. The exact data breaks down as follows [1, 2, 3, 4]:

Factors that affect salary

In addition to your geographic location and your experience in marketing, your highest level of education and the industry you choose are all factors that will change how much salary you can expect to make on average. Take a closer look at each of these variables to better understand what you might expect to earn as a marketing manager. 

Education level

Hiring managers typically require marketing managers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Zippia reports that 75 percent of marketing managers hold a bachelor’s, 13 percent have a master’s, 7 percent have an associate, and 5 percent hold a high school diploma or other degrees [5]. Zippia also offers insight into how the average marketing manager’s salary changes based on education [2]:

• Associate degree: $93,090

• Bachelor’s degree: $108,463

• Master’s degree: $122,943

Experience

The number of years you’ve worked in marketing may also influence your salary as a marketing manager. According to Glassdoor, the number of years of experience can impact average salary [3]:

• 0–1: $65,000

• 1–3: $71,000

• 4–6: $80,000

• 7–9: $87,000

• 10–14: $97,000 

• 15 or more years: $111,000

Location

Geographically, the average salary of a marketing manager can vary widely, from the highest-paying state of California, where you could make $113,956, to the lowest-paying state of Alabama, where salaries average $69,937, per data from Zippia [2]. Here are the five highest-paying states for a marketing manager as follows:

• California: $113,956

• Washington: $107,931

• Connecticut: $106,726

• New Jersey: $106,432

• New York: $105,368

Zippia also reports the highest-paying cities for marketing managers as follows [2]:

• Menlo Park, CA: $121,407

• Seattle, WA: $108,673

• Englewood, NJ: $106,652

• New York, NY: $105,624

• Boston, MA: $97,407

Discover which states pay the lowest for marketing management, per Zippia [2]:

• Alabama: $69,937

• Oklahoma: $70,275

• Colorado: $70,657

• Mississippi: $72,017

• Florida: $72,140

Industry 

Marketing managers have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries, which can also play a role in the amount of money they earn. Evaluate the median total pay for marketing managers across five high-paying sectors [3]:

• Energy, mining, and utilities: $155,667

• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology: $155,369

• Legal: $151,527

• Financial services: $142,093

• Information technology: $136,936

The aforementioned figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Highest-paying companies for marketing managers

Overall, across all industries, some of the highest-paying companies for marketing managers and the median total salary for each include the following [3]:

• Google: $337,000

• Meta: $295,000

• Cloudflare: $275,000

• LinkedIn: $274,000

• Amazon: $271,000

• Cisco $195,000

• Walmart: $108,000

• Randstad US: $99,000

The aforementioned figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Job growth and career outlook

According to the BLS, marketing manager jobs will grow by 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, a faster-than-average rate [1]. One reason this field is growing is the rate at which technology has increased the number of tools available for marketing managers. Companies need professionals who can use new tech to reach their audiences and find ways to connect to new audiences, driving growth. 

Related jobs and career path options

In addition to becoming a marketing manager, you may choose a more specialized role, such as a digital marketing manager or a brand marketing manager. Explore the salaries and educational requirements of these similar marketing roles:

1. Digital marketing manager

Average annual base US salary: $87,000 [6]

Education requirements: Employers typically look for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. 

As a digital marketing manager, you will create and direct digital marketing efforts. You will lead or work with a team to develop new digital content and drive brand awareness and website traffic. Typically, you'll be responsible for shaping marketing campaigns and advising which digital marketing tools are best for your brand. 

2. Brand marketing manager

Average annual base US salary: $98,000 [7]

Education requirements: Brand marketing managers typically need a bachelor’s degree. 

A brand marketing manager helps shape marketing initiatives to drive brand awareness, look for new opportunities, and help determine brand strategy. Another responsibility you will have in this position is to ensure brand integrity and ensure that the branding message is consistent throughout all branding efforts. 

3. Events marketing manager

Average annual base US salary: $78,000 [8]

Education requirements: Events marketing managers typically need a bachelor’s degree.

As an events marketing manager, you will handle all stages of events, from planning through execution. You may set the calendar of events and oversee many events, or you may be assigned events from leadership. In this role, you will work with suppliers, respond to questions, and work with the media and the general public to raise awareness and market the event. 

How do I become a marketing manager?

Becoming a marketing manager requires a combination of education, skills, and experience. You’ll typically need a bachelor’s degree to begin working as a marketing manager. Typical areas of study include business, marketing, communications, or management. After completing your education, you’ll usually need to gain five or more years of experience in other marketing positions, such as a marketing coordinator. 

Learn more with our free marketing resources

Subscribe to our weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat, for industry updates, tips, and trends. Then, explore free, digital marketing resources to optimize your professional growth:

• Watch on YouTube: Marketing vs Sales: Choosing the Right Business Career

• Take a quiz: Digital Marketing Career Quiz: Is It Right for You? Find Your Role

• Learn from experts: Career Advice: How to Become a Marketing Manager at Coursera

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses. 

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial